Without You
by no1willrememberthisname
Summary: How do you cope, when someone you love leaves you behind? How do you go on fighting? this summary isn't very good, you'd better just read it for youself. Flight! that didn't get to happen. M for mildly bad language at points and for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Oh hey, is this a story? I guess it is and you just stumbled on it.

I should warn you, if you can't deal with sadness or gore, or are just plain wimpy…this chapter is not for you…at all…in any way…period.

\/\/\/

Fang found herself walking next to the stoic soldier. Hope, Sahz and Vanille had wandered off ahead as a scouting party, while Snow, herself and the little ray of sunshine followed them, mopping up any resistance left over.

"Hey Fang?"

Fang turned her head to look at Lightning, and for a second their eyes met and fire seemed to flow in Fang's veins. "Oh, so now you want to talk to me."

"I wanted to apologise." Lightning said simply.

"For what?" Fang grinned. Her grin widened when she heard the soldier splutter in indignation. "Go on, what are you apologising for?"

"Erm. For hitting you?"

"And…"

"Hitting you again?"

"And…"

"Calling you a Pulse whore?"

"I wouldn't have minded that one if you used the proper name."

Lightning looked puzzled. "Proper name?"

"_Gran _Pulse. How hard is it to say one extra syllable, but you Vipers always forget it. Anyway, what else?"

"Not apologising sooner?"

"That's do Sunshine, that'll do." Lightning bristled at the use of Fang's little pet name.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: _don't call me that_." She growled at the warrior.

Fang grinned, this was her favourite way of passing the time. Once she had got Lightning to go from sleepy to furious in only three minutes. "What'd you prefer to be called then? Sparky? Jumpy? Slugger? Sweet cheeks? Miss Stab Happy? The most beautiful thing under Cocoon? Look Sunshine this list goes on and on."

They continued walking for a few minutes, letting the group get further and further ahead. "Fang?"

"Yes, slugger?"

Lightning scowled at Fang for a second. "Are you and Vanille…"

"Are me and Vanille what?"

"You know…"

"No, I don't."

Lightning mumbled something and her face blushed. Fang was amazed that she could even do that. Snow had told her that the Guardian Corps had removed the emotion centre of her brain. Now that she thought back, he had been grinning as he said it. "What was that, Sweet Cheeks?"

"I said, are you and Vanille together." At the puzzled look on Fang's face, Lightning felt the need to expand a bit. "As in, are you two in a loving relationship. With intimacy. Of a carnal nature."

"Oh! No. But can you imagine how hot, we'd be? With my natural sexiness and her cuteness, we would make heads explode! Why are you trying to get in on that?"

Lightning blushed again. "You are! I didn't think you were into girls, or anything for that matter." Fang suddenly jumped slightly. "We'd be a Neapolitan!"

"Come again?"

"Like the ice cream, did you not have ice cream up in Cocoon?"

"We did. I know the type you mean, but I don't get the reference."

"Well, I'd be the chocolate, obviously, Vanille sounds like Vanilla, and that leaves you as the strawberry! We'd be so hot, that noon could stop our sexy rampage!"

The two returned to silence. Lightning out of awkwardness and Fang with a far-away look in her eyes and her skin slightly darker. Every so often Fang's tongue would slip out of her mouth and lick her lips. There was no sign of the rest of the l'Cie, only their footprints.

"In all seriousness, Vanille means everything to me. If something were to happen to her…I don't want to think about what'd happen." In that short sentence, everything that needed to be said had been said, from over protective sister to over protective sister.

There was a roar in the distance and the two ignored it, until there were human screams. In a second they took off towards the sounds of battle.

\/\/\/

Snow crossed his arms and winced as he took blow after blow from the trio of behemoths. He had seen the behemoths approaching the forwards scouting party, but was unable to warn them. Instead he ran as fast as he could to reach them, to find Sazh unconscious and Vanille and Hope barely holding them back with constant waves of magic. He could barely get off the defensive, even with Hope applying every buffer he could thing off and Vanille pouring healing spells into him. The biggest behemoth smacked him sideways, winding him and he dropped his guard. It raised its paw for another attack, only to miss its target.

Snow looked up and saw Fang stood over him, twirling her staff around her hand. Snow pushed himself to his feet and stood next to the Pulsian. Behind them, Hope and Vanille started to throw everything they could at the largest behemoth. With a roar, it started the transformation process to stand on its back legs when Lightning burst from the treeline.

The behemoth closest to her swung its giant paw. Lightning effortlessly flipped over it, as she landed she rolled forwards under the body of the large beast. When she was clear, her feet touched the ground and she kicked off, soaring high into the air. The largest behemoth, now on its back legs turned to look at her. The soldier hit his chest with a dull thump, making him recoil from the impact. Lightning's gunblade slipped into the fleshy part of his throat easily and she gave it a twist as she removed it, making the hole bigger. Holding on to the collar bone with one hand, she switched her gunblade to its gun form and plunged it into the hole. Two quick shots and she kicked away, confidant she had severed the spinal cord.

The second behemoth felt something hit its back. Sadly it didn't feel anything else. Lightning kicked away the head of the second behemoth, wincing as the hot, sticky blood splattered up her leg.

"Vanille!"

Lightning turned from her latest kill and watched in horror as the last behemoth charged and smacked Fang and Snow out of the way, allowing it clear passage to Hope and Vanille. There was no way that either of Fang or Snow would be up before the behemoth reached them. The answer was clear in Lightning's head.

The behemoth felt four large concussive blasts hit the side of its head, and it promptly forgot about the two unprotected teenagers and turned to face the new target. Lightning whipped her gunblade around in a slow arc as the behemoth started to run. As it picked up speed, Lightning started to move as well. The beast heaved its head backwards, which would have ripped Lightning's insides to shreds if she hadn't done something with amazed the onlookers. One hand caught the horn on the front of the behemoth's head, as it was whipped upwards, she swung around it. Lightning hooked one foot in the behemoth's jaw and the other planted next to its eye. Three successive bangs later from her gunblade and it was blind in one eye. Still holding onto the horn on its head, Lightning swung round again so she was on the right side of its head. The soldier flicked her wrist to change her gunblade back to its blade form and pushed it into the beast's good eye. With a pained scream the beast died, its back legs still twitching.

"You've been holding out on us, Sunshine." Fang remarked as she dusted herself off.

Lightning shrugged. "Just another battle. Now can we get to Oerba before nightfall?" Vanille did her weird skip-run up to Lightning, and pulled her into a tight hug that startled Lightning. Fang sniggered at the uncomfortable look on Lightning's face.

"Thank you, Light!" Vanille said, before letting go and walking off next to Fang.

\/\/\/

Lightning walked behind the main group in silence. The one person she completely didn't want to speak to right now, or ever for that matter, cleared his throat and let whatever bumbling thought that passed through his thick skull spill out of his mouth. "Hey, Sis-"

He was cut off by a quick jab to the stomach that had him bent double. He fell to his knees winded and looked up to see Lightning's BlazeFire pointed right between his eyes.

"We are going to clear a few things up, right now. One, I am not your sister. Got that?"

Snow nodded, his eyes never leaving the barrel that tickled his forehead. He was going cross eyed with the effort of keeping it in focus. "Two, do you love her?"

"What?" He received a back hand to the face, Lightning's knuckle dusters tearing the skin. A droplet of blood splashed on his coat.

"I'm asking the questions here. Speak back, and it'll be your balls next time. Do you love Serah?"

"Yes! I love her!" Snow answered, his eyes switching between the gun and the glove. In the terror of his mind, a small part of him wondered who thought of attaching bits of metal to Lightning's gloves. She'd hit him quite a few times without her gloves and that hurt enough, but spikey bit of metal was unnecessary.

"Would you do anything to protect her and give her the best life you could provide?"

"Why are you ask-" He received a left hook to the throat, silencing him effectively.

"Answer me, Snow!"

"Yes!" He choked out. When the pain subsided a bit he finished. "I would do anything for Serah, you know that, Light."

"If I were to die here, right now, would you take care of her? Make sure she finished school, help her get a job, take her in?"

"Yes! Yes! I would die for Serah!" Lightning moved suddenly and Snow closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to arrive. It didn't. He cautiously opened his eyes to see Lightning's open hand right in front of his face. Gratefully he took in and felt himself being pulled up onto his feet.

"I guess you're good enough for her." Lightning drew up a ball of curative magic, and let it float to Snow's face. It itched as the skin and muscle knitted itself back together. "Welcome to the family, Snow."

"Does this mean I can call you 'Sis' now?" He asked. His stupid grin was plastered on his face.

Lightning smiled faintly, it would be easy to miss unless you were really looking for it. "Not yet, Snow, don't push your luck."

\/\/\/

Fang walked down the stairs of the orphanage she and Vanille had lived in, and now the l'Cie were taking shelter in. Hope had come into the girl's room to tell her that it was her turn to go on watch. Fang smirked at the memory of his face when he saw her state of undress, and then Vanille's similar lack of attire. He looked like he was about to faint. For some reason the other side of Vanille, where Lightning had slept, had been empty. The reason the Fang insisted that Vanille be between them was that she didn't think she could control herself if she was next to a naked Lightning. Not that she said that to the soldier, she said it was the best way to share body heat, something the soldier agreed was a good idea.

She spotted the soldier sitting in her turtle neck and shorts at a table. "Lightning, what are you doing up?"

Lightning turned to look at the intruder. "Couldn't sleep. So I decided to fix Bhakti, didn't I Bhakti?"

The little robot warbled and bleeped in confirmation, before testing out his new wheels. Fang didn't mean to, but she ignored Vanille's little friend. She was too busy staring at the soldier. She'd never seen this side of her. Caring, happy, sweet, and without personal walls thicker than Snow. "Zing!" She thought to herself.

"Hey, Light?"

"Wossat, Fang?"

Oerba Yun Fang, fearless huntress, terrible flirt had never been in love. There had been a few flings over the years, but never an attraction like this. she didn't know what to say. "Do you think that-" _we could be lovers?_ Fang couldn't say it, she didn't know how. Hastily she thought of something else to say that wouldn't seem odd. "-we could have been friends? If all this hadn't happened I mean."

"Yes, Fang we would have been friends." _We could have been so much so much more_, was the part Lightning wanted to say.

Lightning stood up from the table, alarming Fang who had been enjoying the view. "Where are you going?" She asked.

"Getting my boots and BlazeFire. I'm going to come out with you." The soldier replied, making Fang's heart soar. Ten minutes later they were perched on top of the orphanage looking out at the ruins of Oerba. Lightning broke the silence.

"So this is where you grew up? Looks pretty."

"This heap? You must be joking. Oerba in its prime was beautiful. Everybody knew you; it was a really tight knit community. Every year we would hold a party celebrating…well, just celebrating." Fang's eyes grew glassy as she was lost in memories of a time long gone by. She and Vanille were relics of a history few people would ever get to know. It was a harsh reality, but true all the same. "I was seven when I first met Vanille. She was four. They brought her in, wrapped up in bandages, and even if I didn't realise it at first, I knew I had to protect this girl. It only took me two days to warm up to her, and when I did we were in separable. She lost her parents in a Cocoon attack. She was the only survivor, you know?"

"What about your family, Fang? Where were they?" Lightning asked, thinking of her own parents.

"Don't know. Mother died in childbirth. I was apparently half a set of twins, but the other didn't survive. There was some complications during the birth and I barely made it." Fang sighed. "Any my good-for-nothing father? He left me at the orphanage when I was still a baby. Gave me a name and dropped me off. Don't know what happened to him, don't care really. All I hope is that he had a slow, painful death."

Lightning said nothing, thinking deeply. They were so alike. Their entire rag-tag group was. She lost her parents when she was fifteen. Fang was abandoned. Vanille lost hers in a Cocoon attack. Snow's parents died in an accident. Hope lost his mother during the purge. Sazh lost his son. They lost their family, and found each other.

Slowly Lightning put her arm around Fang and pulled her in close. The sudden display of personal contact startled Fang slightly, but she melted into the gesture. "At least we have each other now." Lightning remarked.

\/\/\/

Barthandelus sat on his haunches, launching magic at the six l'Cie. He had expected them to become angered at his use of the girl to attempt to manipulate them, but the sheer anger and loathing pouring off the big blond one was staggering, let alone the fast pink one. He laughed, they were falling perfectly into his plan, and it did not matter if he was destroyed as long as Menvra survived.

"_Ragnarok. Come Day of Wrath, O Pulse l'Cie. Embrace thy fate, thine home to burn. That fallen souls might bear our plea. To hasten the Divine's return. O piteous wanderer, Ragnarok. Make of this day a brave epoch. Deliver the Divine, Ragnarok."_ He chanted again in Serah's voice.

The pink haired one bristled and leapt up striking quickly at his face, before kicking off to land on the ground lightly. She swung her weapon in a circle by her side as the brutish man charged forwards, to punch at the same spot on his face. As he fell to the ground the pink haired one ran forwards and leapt. Just before they were level, the man grabbed the woman's arm and flung her upwards faster than she had ever moved before. Five quick slashes lated she fell to the ground. Barthandelus felt a crack appearing in his face, which was quickly exploited by a barrage of magic. The pink haired one started charging again. She seemed to be the key to this strategy, giving orders as well as leading the charge.

Lightning ran up the leg of the puppet master fal'Cie, and kicked off to land on the hand that swiped at her. As she flew towards the massive hand it suddenly sped up, hitting Lightning out of the air. The pink haired woman hit the hard metal of the pier and bounced. She landed again for a second and her gunblade left her hand. In the end she was far from the sword and further from the fight.

Fang's knuckles whitened on the shaft of her spear. She wanted nothing more than to leap forward and smash that damnable liar to tiny pieces for hurting her Light, but the soldier had instructed her to guard the magicians and that was what she was going to do. Beside her, Snow slipped into his sentinel pose. "Hey, Hope, can you give me a pick me up."

Before he finished the curative magic was already touching his chest, after a quick thanks Snow was off again, closely followed by a round of magic from Sazh and Vanille. He was knocked out of the air, much as Lightning had been. He landed and fell with a crack; a white shard sticking out of his trouser. The hulking fal'Cie loomed over Fang, who simply flipped him off, something Rygdea taught her as a joke. With a lazy sideways swipe she was knocked into a wall, her spear spinning off into the water. The magicians were left defenceless.

Sazh dropped in defeat as Hope moved in front of a praying Vanille with a determined look on his face. Fang watched in horror as Snow tried to stand up on a broken leg, but fell to the floor howling in pain. He cried out, but the only thing she could hear was the fal'Cie laughing at their failure. One hand, larger than any of them hovered over the standing l'Cie. Hope looked up at his impending doom and lost all resolve for a moment. It was just a second but Fang saw the sheer terror is his eyes. She scrambled to her feet, aware that there was very little she could do without her spear. Something knocked her out of the way.

Lightning moved faster than she ever had. Faster than she had ever been able to. There was nothing in her little world but her, Barthandelus, and Vanille. She looked to the side of her and saw Sleipnir galloping next to her. In a flash of white light the horse was gone. The soldier jumped.

Hope closed his eyes. There was no reason to look his fate in the eyes, he knew what was going to happen. Strangely, as he waited for the great weight to crush him, he wasn't sad that he was about to die. Or that he was about to disappoint both his mother and Lightning. He was sad that he never got to say good bye to his father.

Behind him, Vanille kept her hands in the praying position. She wasn't afraid to die. Far from it. All she wanted was for her family to be safe, and now she was feverantly asking for Divine Etro to spare them this fate. She watched the hand fall. Suddenly nothing. Her eyes opened to see Lightning lay on top of her.

Lightning screamed as Barthandelus' claws ripped down her back. She stood on wobbly legs turned to face the fal'Cie that had ruined her life. There was nothing in her mind. No pain, no fear, just anger. Lightning knew anger. She could just about turn anything into anger. And this monster had taken _everything_ from her. And then had the nerve to mock her with an apparition of what he stole. Finally he tried to take her new family. Enough was enough.

Even though her muscles were torn to shit, she ran.

Even though blood ran freely down her back and legs, she ran.

Even though tears blocked her vision, she ran.

Even though she knew what was going to happen, she ran.

Even though she was going to miss them, she ran.

Barthandelus swiped at her, to meet thin air. Lightning flipped in the air and hit the ground running. Somehow she found even more speed. A barrage of _ruinaga_s hit the ground around her feet, each a miniature concussive blast. She stumbled slightly, but kept moving. The short distance was closed quickly and she leapt, bouncing off every surface she could to reach the crack on his head. Her hand grasped for her gunblade, to find nothing. In her panic, she brushed something else. Her birthday present from Serah. How long had it been since that day? Weeks? Months? Years? Or 6 days?

Lightning raised the knife above her head amidst laughter. It plunged through the metal-like substance the fal'Cie was made of, with ease. Fang watched as she dropped the knife and grabbed the crack in two hands, straining to widen in. Barthandelus shook his head trying to throw her off, but Lightning was having none of it. She let go with one hand and held it up. Small red and black sparks crackled between her fingers. These grew larger, into a ball that expanded to become the same size as Lightning's head. Fang's eyes widened in horror when she realised what Lightning was going to do. "NO! LIGHT!"

Lightning's hair was being whipped around her head by an invisible breeze the other l'Cie would never feel. _I'm sorry._ Her hand sank into the hole. Nothing happened for a seconds. Then everything went white.

\/\/\/

Fang stood up as soon as the ringing in her ears died away and she could see again. Sazh was helping Hope patch up Snow, and Vanille was knelt praying by…

"Light!" Fang ran, stumbling on the tiny pieces of fal'Cie that littered the pier and edge of Oerba. She fell next to Lightning's right side as Vanille poured on cure after cure.

"Fang." Lightning croaked, her voice weaker than a newborn kitten.

"I'm here Light. What do you need? Look at me Light, what do you need?"

"…stood on…arm…can't feel…"

Fang hastily took her foot off Lightning's good arm, the other arm being at the centre of the blast and now a lump of burned flesh. Lightning rolled her head so that she was looking right into Fang's eyes.

Up till that point Lightning had been lay so that the left side of her face was pressed to the ground. The Huntress was no stranger to gore, but this was terrible. It was like someone had taken a ruler and drawn a straight line down the middle of Lightning's face. The right side was fine, unblemished and as perfect as it had been last night. Someone was sick behind Fang, but she could tear her eyes off the ruined side of her face. Raw flesh blended seamlessly into patches of blood. Lightning's left ear was burnt off completely and blood poured from the hole. Black lines of charred flesh covered her face in a spider's web pattern, especially around her left eye, which was white and blind.

"Snow…need Snow…important…" The man knelt beside her

"I'm here, Sis. What do you need?"

"Serah…look after…Serah…for me…"

Snow took Lightning's good hand in his own massive paws. He gave it a gentle squeeze she couldn't feel. "I promise. You don't need to worry, Light."

"Thank…you…bro…" Lightning gasped. Breathing was becoming hard for her. The world darkened.

"Fang…"

"Yeah, babe?" Fang smiled at the fallen soldier, who tried to copy her, but only ended up screaming in pain.

"I'm sorry…I…."

"You what? You're sorry for what? Please Light, don't leave me here." Fang pleaded. A single tear, her first, fell down her face and into Lightning's azure eye. There was no reaction from the woman, but Fang's tear rolled out of Lightning's eye, giving her the appearance of crying. Fang could count the times she had cried on one hand, and have fingers left over. She cried when she was left behind by a negligent father. She cried when she saw the bandaged little girl being carried into the orphanage, no parents to help her through the pain. And she cried now. For the fallen soldier. For lost love and crushed dreams and abandoned friends.

She grabbed Vanille roughly by the arm, the first time she had ever hurt her sister. "Heal her, make her better. Now!"

"Fang, we can't." At that moment she saw the grey shade of Vanille's skin, and the way Hope was swaying where he stood. They were exhausted, so Fang turned to their next best healer, then realised. "Well, use some Phoenix Down."

Sazh turned the bag with their medical supplies over. All that fell out was an Antidote. "We're all out, Fang. I guess Lady Luck just isn't on our side anymore."

"SHE CAN'T BE GONE!" Fang screamed at the world. In the distance some birds were startled and flew off.

Snow placed his fingers over Lightning's eyelids and pulled them down. "There, now she could be sleeping."

Vanille leant over Lightning and pulled her sister into a tight hug. "It'll be all right, Fang."

"No it bloody well won't."

\/\/\/

There we have it chapter 1.

I'm not ashamed to admit it cried whilst writing that. It was sad. However it was probably worse in my imagination, so that saved you readers from the blunt of the blow.

Don't worry, it will get better. It'll be sad at first, then get a bit better, then sad again, more sadness, then everything will be ok, followed by even more sadness with a side of despair, then Happiness! Lots and lots of pure happiness. Ok? So when we get to the end and y'all are full of sadness and start to look at pictures of dead kittens and puppies because you're so sad that they actually cheer you up slightly BAAM! Happy ending. I promise. also SPOILER ALERT!

If you feel you need a quick pick-me-up of happiness feel free to check out any of my other stories about FF13. They're a lot more cheerful than this one is.

And on that note:

=)


	2. Chapter 2

Yo! Yo! Yo! Wat happnin in da hood?

And back to normal. A few quick messages to the people that deserve them. There are a few people who also deserve a shout out, but I don't have time to write you a message. I'm really sorry if you're one of them.

To **ElissaCousland**-THANK YOU! that's exactly the reaction I was going for: Shock, disgust, wonder about Fang's feelings. Well maybe not the last one, but still. As to your other questions well I can sum it up pretty easily…Muhahahaha!

The nameless reviewer from Broken Strings- you! Yes, you. I see you there pretending you can't see this, now look. There's a reviewer on this story, the first, who called himself **Terry**. Now this "Terry" didn't like the story, but instead of just going _wahh! Wahh! I don't like this it sucks_ which is what I read on your review, he gave a well-structured review detailing why he did not like it, as well as a little nice thought at the end. That Ladies and Gentlemen, is how to write a review. Thank you Terry. (incidentally, Terry, if you are the nameless reviewer, I have to ask: how did you learn to write a good review so fast? It took me about two years of reading fanfictions to nail the practice of writing good reviews).

To Juwpiter081-my old (relatively speaking) pal. How's it going? I'm following Undying with some interest. Note to self: add it to favourites list. Quick question, are you a guy or girl? I'm thinking guy, but I'm not really sure. If you're a guy, accept this manly chest bump for writing such a good story. If you're a girl, your pick of rewards…

That over with let's review what happened last time. Wait! What's the need, you can just re-read the chapter.

Anyway.

_Fang and Lightning bond._

_Lightning saves Vanille's life._

_Snow and Lightning 'bond'. Snow is hurt._

_More Flight bonding!_

_Face Barthandelus._

_Lightning saves Vanille's life. Again. _Seriously, that was every battle for me in FF13.Oops Vanille's down again.

_Light gets snuffed out._

_Much sadness._

Everybody on the same page? I should warn you; this is a bridging chapter between chapters 1 and 2. Think of it as chapter 1.5.

\/\/\/

Fang watched as the makeshift boat floated out to sea, the flames licking the sky. They had quickly crafted a boat out of a fallen tree and laid Lightning's body in it. Her hands had been manipulated so they were holding her broken BlazeFire by the handle. The shards had carefully been collected and arranged on her body so that the sword looked whole. A few nice words were said by each person about Lightning and all she'd done for them. Then the time came and they lit fire to the boat and pushed it out to sea.

Fang clenched her hand tightly as she watched the torrent of flames become a speck in the distance, enjoying the pain as Lightning's pendant cut into the soft flesh of her palm.

Slowly Vanille's voice faded into existence. "Fang! What do you want to do?"

"What?"

"We were talking about the best course of action. Sazh rec-" Fang cut her off.

"If Lightning were here, we wouldn't be discussing things. She was a real leader, she knew what to do. Even at the cost of her life."

Snow looked at her and clenched his hand around Lightning's survival knife. There was an odd glint in his eyes. "Weren't you the one refusing to let us become Cie'th? And now you just want us to wait for our timer-tattoos to run out?"

"I never said that. I don't think we should be so quick to abandon Light." She retorted. Her hands drew into fists. So this was it, a battle for the leadership of this little group. Between her and Snow.

"Abandon Light? This isn't abandoning her, we're moving on. In case you hadn't noticed, we just set fire to her corpse. She's dead Fang! We need to keep moving."

"You're moving on pretty quickly. I think you almost wanted her gone, didn't you Snow? Now you have a free shot at Serah, you can be her 'hero' without any of that glory being rewarded to her sister."

"You're full of shit Fang." The cold anger in his voice hit Fang hard. She had never seen him angry. Then his face softened. "I don't want to abandon Lightning, but there is nothing else we can do. At least now, nothing else can hurt her."

"I don't see why we should bow to the whims of the bloody monster that killed her. Becoming Ragnarok and destroying Orphan, that's what they want from us." Fang didn't let go of the anger like Snow had. Right now she was angry at the world for tearing Lightning away from her, and Snow was making a very attractive target.

"Well then, what will we do? You seem to have all the answers." He retorted. The other three looked between them with each exchange.

"I don't know. It was Lightning that kept us going, kept us focused. She was the one with all the ideas."

"Well how about this then, we destroy Orphan, but save Cocoon. That way we complete our focus and get revenge, as well as stopping their plan!"

"And just how are we going to do that, Brainiac?" Fang waved her hand in front of his face while wiggling her fingers. "Magic?"

"I will find a way. I promise you that." The sincerity in his voice made Fang almost want to throw up. He didn't seriously believe he could do something like that, did he?"

"I'm with Snow." The two verbal duellers turned to look at Hope, who nearly buckled under the ferocity of Fang's glare. "I mean, I want revenge for everything they've done. And I mean everything. So let's beat the fal'Cie, kill them, ruin their plot and save the people."

Sazh stood up too. "I'm with the kid. I'm old. Too old for all this, anyway. But I don't want Dajh returning to a world run by these…fal'Cie, so I'm with Snow."

Fang turned to the last member of their group. "Vanille?" She took note of her expression. "Not you too?"

"I'm sorry Fang, but it's the right thing to do."

The truth was Fang didn't care about the fal'Cie plot, or saving to people or any of that heroic bullshit. What she wanted was to get every damnable fal'Cie that had anything to do with Lightning's death, and beat them into a pulp. Then take that pulp and grind it under her heel until it was a find powder. Then reform the bastards and start all over again.

"Alright, let's do it." She said simply. As they climbed into the ship Barthandelus had been _so kind_ to provide them before he took them on, Fang looked out at the oddly calm sea. The plume of smoke from their hasty funeral had grown and expanded from a single point in the distance. There was nothing left now, except memories and the pendant still clutched in Fang's hand.

There would be time for grieving later, now was the time for revenge.

\/\/\/

Vanille watched with concern as Fang swung her spear around her head, before sinking it right into the throat of a PSICOM soldier that happened to get in their way. Fang laughed as the soldier sank to the floor, holding his bleeding throat, running to face her next target. All the blood and violence was making Vanille sick, and this new scarily vicious side of Fang chilled her to the bone.

They had split up to thin out the forces attacking them, Snow went with NORA, Hope and Sazh ran off in one direction and that left the Pulsians together.

Fang stood over her latest kills, panting. She looked at Vanille and Vanille could see only bloodlust in her dark eyes. The urge to hunt and kill had over taken her sister.

Fang scanned the area, hungry for more blood. She wasn't done yet, not by a long shot. The blood that coated her arms up to the elbow didn't register to her. The only thing that mattered was avenging Lightning. Her eyes met Vanille's, and the beast inside of her that clamoured for blood quietened.

"Where are the others?" She growled. They were waiting for the other three to turn up. Fang couldn't help but think that if Lightning had been here they would have been ready by now. They may have grumbled about the way she kept pushing them beyond what they perceived to be their limits, but now without her they were falling apart.

Snow was the first to arrive, slightly battered but otherwise fine. He took note of the blood coating Fang and decided to not comment, the cleverest thing he had ever done. Instead he pulled Vanille into a bear hug and ruffled her hair. "I'm glad you two made it ok."

Fang snapped at him. "What took you so bloody long?"

Snow backed away slightly, hands raised to try and calm her. There was a moment of sadness in his baby blue eyes. "We had some trouble. Maqui nearly didn't make it."

"I don't care who Maqui is, you dumb oaf, we're on a mission here. Time's running out, look at your brand."

Before they could reach a full blown argument again, Vanille pointed at a cloud of smoke. "Look, there's Hope and Sazh!" She chirped.

It was true, Sazh and Hope were coming at them, beaten and wounded. Sazh was limping badly and Hope seemed to have been clawed by some kind of animal, blood poured from a cut on his head. By the time they reached the main group Vanille had already prepared a series of Curagas and Esunas. "Thanks." Hope said, before collapsing in exhaustion.

"Still looking after the old man, eh? Nice to know you all still care." Sazh realised that Fang's formerly blue sari was now mainly red, with the same shade splashed up her arms. "What happened to you?"

"What happened to me? I'm what happened to them." To emphasise her point Fang kicked one of the bodies at her feet.

There was a pregnant pause that stretched long into the uncomfortable. "I guess we should get going. Get this over with." Sazh said simply.

\/\/\/

"Ah, the pitiful l'Cie. I'm so glad you saw the light as it were. My brothers and sisters will be so pleased." Barthandelus said, in his human guise. The image of the former primarch sat upon a throne that upon closer inspection seemed to have human slaves engraved on it, their bodies pressed together.

Snow stepped forwards, slamming a hand against his chest. "We aren't here for you, or us! We're here for the people of Cocoon. Your reign is over."

Barthandelus laughed, his real voice echoing underneath his human laugh. "You foolish humans. Cannot you see that you cannot fight your focus? You are merely pawns in a greater scheme."

"Raines did! He fought it."

"And yet he is still fulfilling my will. Unlike you he is now just a mindless puppet, bound to serve me for…" Barthandelus paused for a second, as if savouring the next word. "Eternity. You humans have no idea how pitifully short your lives are, especially if they are…shall we say…snuffed out." The former primarch laughed his cruel, mocking laugh.

Fang drew her spear and twirled it around her head. "You are finished! Do you hear me, you will pay!" She ran forwards only to stop suddenly, unable to control her limbs. Barthandelus flicked his hand and the huntress was thrown into a wall unceremoniously.

"Won't you wait for a moment, my dear? Suppose your little plan works and you destroy my brethren and I, but then what, little l'Cie? I have an inkling of what you plan to do, and I must say that will not work. You would encase the entirety of Cocoon in crystal, effectively trapping all the sacrifices… I'm sorry, where are my manners? I mean people inside the shell. There are over 6 billion people on Cocoon and they would need feeding. Without the fal'Cie there would be no one to provide and there is simply not enough to hunt here on Cocoon."

"We'll take them to Gran Pulse!" Vanille shouted. Tears were brimming in her eyes at the truth in the fal'Cie's words.

"Take them to Gran…" Barthandelus disappeared in a puff of smoke and reappeared inches from Vanille's face. She could smell his breath, or lack there of. His made all the motions, but didn't process it at all. "That's an even more ridiculous idea than your idea to save Cocoon, you stupid little girl."

Fang pushed herself to her feet, leaning heavily on her spear. "You leave her alone."

The fal'Cie moved again this time to behind Fang. "Or what? You'll hit me?" she tried to take a swing, but the fal'Cie moved to be just out of reach. He raised his arms and floated into the air.

"If you take the people to Gran Pulse, they will die. Much faster than they would here on Cocoon. They don't know how to depend on themselves, having spent their lives waited on hand and foot by my kin. I predict more than half, no that's too generous, three quarters of the population would be dead in a week. The rest, at most a month. Cocoon or Gran Pulse, it doesn't matter. I. Win."

Snow rushed forwards, banding his hand on his chest, making his necklaces jingle. His other hand desperately squeezed the broken survival knife. "Titan! Titan would protect them!"

The fal'Cie looked puzzled for a moment, but regained his arrogant and patronising smile. "Titan, our lost brother. I hoped he would see the light, but he never approved of the plan. I fail to see why he would protect you."

The primarch suddenly screamed as a pair of red points emerged from his chest. An arm wrapped around his neck and Fang pushed the spear in deeper. "That's for Light, you bastard."

The former primarch made a guttural moan as his skin started to bubble and move. He writhed side to side like he had no control over his limbs. "Quick, finish him before he transforms!" Fang cried.

Snow leapt up and pounded at the primarch, his massive fists creating craters on the metallic skin. His final punch was strong enough to knock him out of the air, off Fang's spear, which tore a chunk out of his chest. To their despair the hole began to reseal. Four deep gouges appeared on his chest, and Vanille whipped her binding rod around again, slashing him again in a cross hatching pattern. Sazh took careful aim with his pistols and split the head down the middle. The two half flopped uselessly on his shoulders, but they were already reforming. Hope fired blizzard after blizzard, he had an idea that was proving to work. The liquid metal that made up the fal'Cie was freezing, slowing the regenerating process.

"Use ice attacks!" He called over the dreadful screaming of tearing metal. "Everything you have, just freeze him!"

Everyone poured on the magical assault. There were so many Blizzards and Blizagas flying through the air that Fang couldn't even get close without being hit. Mist covered the floor, pouring off the fal'Cie, so thick they couldn't see their target. Hope signalled them to stop.

The mist cleared and Fang nearly fell over. The mist had been so thick that she hadn't been able to see the fal'Cie. He was now right in front of her, arm reaching out to grab her. He was completely healed, Fang wondered if she could have survived the attack. She raised her spear and positioned it ready. "You took her from me." She whispered angrily. Right now, the one that had had the audacity to take the one she loved from her, was stood, unable to move, unable to react. There were so many things she wanted to do. In the end there was one thing she could do.

Fang pressed her weight on the spear, hearing the satisfying crack of ice breaking had never sounded so good. The headless body dissapitated into nothingness and the head itself landed on the floor. The ice holding it shattered. Alarmingly it still seemed to be alive.

"I failed!" It screamed with the voice of tearing metal. "They were too strong."

It seemed to be talking to an unseen person. The l'Cie would have given anything to be able to hear the other end of the conversation. "Yes! Punish them! But how?"

A pregnant pause. "Yes! Yes!" The head rolled of its own accord and looked right up at Fang. The other l'Cie gathered behind her. "How would you like to meet an old friend!"

The centre piece of the floor, an elaborate engraving of the Cocoon l'Cie brand, split down the middle and opened up to the insane laughter of Barthandelus' head.

\/\/\/

Dun Dun Dunnn!

Want more? Give me a few days at the least. A free internet cookie for the person who correctly guesses my name.

You know what I love about you reviewers (NB the good ones) you give me the greatest ideas. Like our new friend ElissaCousland. She had a few good ideas. Not something you can make a whole plot out of, but if you just slip them in they add a little bit extra to your stories. So writers of , listen to your reviewers, please? They make the writing experience so much better. (Plus they come up with loads of great ideas that you can just take and adapt! Hehehe!) If you see something you suggested in the review section feel free to point it out. Go "Oh hey! I noticed you put so-and-so in! Thanks for being a writer that listens to the people who take an interest in his/her work."

Til next time Sacri….people!

PS Tear of Light rocks!

PPS So does Juwpiter081

PPPS Include GuiltyPleasures21 on that list.

PPPPS Do I deserve to be on this list.

PPPPPS if you feel you should be on this list, review. I read the stories of people who review me, that's how you get on the awesome list.


	3. Chapter 3

I should point out I have yet to actually finish FF13. So I have no idea what actually happens. I pieced this together from reading various fanfictions, as well as my own imagination. Regardless of the probably massive plot holes that will come up, I must say: On with the show.

\/\/\/

"No! Don't you dare touch her!" Fang screamed. The head at her feet just laughed at her despair.

Above their heads a rose shaped crystal floated down from the sky. To their amazement the crystal began to shine brightly and tendrils of light emerged from the crystal. These twisted and grew, forming the shape of a human.

Five glowing red chains leapt out of the pit like the tentacles of a monster from the deep. These pierced the now fully formed crystal statue, impaling the arms, legs and back. Above the l'Cie, Lightning opened her eyes.

The manic laughter from the head of Barthandelus was joined by a deeper rumble from below, then finally by Lightning. They watched as their formerly dead companion threw her head back and joined in with the sinister symphony.

"Lightning!" Fang called, fighting the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Sis!" Snow shouted at the same time. The brawler and warrior looked at each other.

Hope stepped forwards. "What did you do to her?"

They didn't expect Lightning to answer them, her voice echoing in the cavernous hall. "Oh we were always puppets Hope." She raised her burned hand to in front of her face and twisted it around, looking at the fire-red chain that delved into the back of her palm. "Now I really am a puppet!"

The three way laughter started up again, chilling the l'Cie. There was something about it that sapped any resolve they had left after seeing their former leader like this.

The chains holding Lightning up suddenly drew her close to the l'Cie, her broken gunblade held firmly in her right hand. Fang barely brought her spear up in time to block the first strike, let alone the swift jabs and slashes that followed. Lightning moved backwards slightly before jumping in again, knocking Fangs spear away and bringing their faces right next to each other.

Fang couldn't help it, but a wave of sickness rose at the close proximity to Lightning's ruined, twisted face. She knew it was mean to say, but this disgusting recreation was not the woman she had loved. There was nothing left of the Lightning they had pushed out on the boat, this was just a fal'Cie slave.

Repeating her new mantra in her head, Fang drew back her head and rammed it forwards, catching Lightning in the forehead. As Lightning moved back wards slightly, Snow grabbed her and threw her across the room. He could barely see through the tears. The only l'Cie not crying over the thought of having to hurt Lightning was Fang, who had achieved the realisation this wasn't their Light.

The chains caught Lightning and moved her back into position, this time behind the main group. She swung her sword at Sazh's head, but instead of it being sliced in two the sword bounced gently off. Nothing happened for a second, until Sazh collapsed to the floor.

They watched in horror as Sazh fell to the floor seemingly fine. Hope was the next to fall, a quick tap to the head from Lightning before any of them fully understood what was going on. The last standing trio looked at their fallen companions wondering what happened. Without a word they moved so they were back to back to back.

There was no sign of Lightning anywhere, or the mysterious chains.

"Fang?" Vanille quivered.

"Yeah, Vanille?" Fang answered, straining her senses to locate Lightning.

"What happened? Why's Lightning attacking us?"

"I don't think that's Lightning."

Snow joined in the conversation, bringing in his usual intelligent viewpoint. "But it looks like Sis."

Fang rolled her eyes, wishing that Lightning was here to give the oaf a whack on the head for being stupid. Oh, right…She thought. "It has something to do with the chains. I think they're controlling her."

"Let's destroy them then!" He smashed his fist into his palm.

"How? She's faster than us and we don't even know how to destroy them." Fang snapped.

"We'll just keep trying then." Snow answered naively. He really did think with his fists. "Right Vanille? Vanille?"

They both risked a look at their third member. Vanille had at some point collapsed to the ground. They looked at the area she had been watching and saw Lightning stood there, grinning. Only one side of her face was able to make the grin, the other, burned, side of her mouth was sealed shut. Fang and Snow moved around so they were both facing their leader.

"Isn't this _fun_?" Lightning asked them, the left side of her face didn't move, and Fang was almost ready to cry like Snow was. "I saved you two for last, I wanted some fun."

Lightning darted forwards her sword bouncing off Fang's spear. For a second the blade rested on the spear, if the blade had been whole then it would have scraped Fang's forehead.

The scrap between Fang, Snow and Lightning was going very badly for the l'Cie. They could barely keep up with Lightning, who showed no signs of letting up or tiring, and when they did find an opening they couldn't bring themselves to hurt her. The only reason they hadn't been knocked unconscious like the others was because of constant steelguarding.

Suddenly Lightning leapt upwards, and true to her namesake smashed her gunblade into Fang's spear, where it stuck. The Pulsian felt the spear being ripped from her hands, and watched as Lightning held it up in her ruined left hand. The crack of splintering wood tore Fang apart as one of her oldest friends was snapped in two by one of her newest friends. Seconds later, the darkness embraced her with open arms.

Snow watched as Fang sank to the floor, but was torn back into reality by the feeling of cold steel on his forehead. He fell to his knees, one hand stopping him fall to the floor. He looked up at the look of puzzlement on Lightning's face before another hit took him out completely.

\/\/\/

Sash groaned. "Where am I?"

"_Between Life and Death."_ a voice said. it seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere.

"Lightning? Show yourself!"

Lightning's face appeared out of the swirling black mist, right in front of him. A second later she was gone. Sash looked around, desperately looking into the darkness for Lightning.

"_How will you tell Dajh? How will you tell him all that you did?"_

"Dajh? I don't know…" Sazh clutched at his head. "I can't think! Just let me go!"

The ground shook in anger, knocking sash off his feet. _"Why should I? why did you get to live whilst I died? Earn this Sazh, tell me why I should let you go."_

"Because…Because without me Dajh will be all alone. You don't want him to be an orphan, do you?"

There was no answer from the darkness.

"Lightning?"

The black mist began to blow and turn white. Sazh took that as a good sign.

\/\/\/

Hope held his head and moaned. "What happened?" He looked around at the darkness.

"_I happened."_

"Light? What are you going to do to me?" Hope quivered. His meagre self-confidence had been crushed by the recent events and he was more scared than he had been after watching his mother…

The voice didn't seem to hear him. _"You thought you were so strong, didn't you Hope? You believed it hard enough to fool the rest of us. In the end, you showed to be the coward you really are. You couldn't even kill the man that killed your mother."_

Hope whirled around. Lightning's face began to appear around him, each one more devilish and crueller than the last.

"_I know what you want to say: that you're stronger than you look. Ironically you don't have the strength. I know what you want to do. You know what you want to do. So do it. Kill him."_

Snow appeared before him, a goofy grin plastered on face. Hope's fists clenched at the carefree look on his face. "_He doesn't deserve to be happy, does he Hope? Why should he, after he ruined so many lives. Strike him down, take revenge, not just for yourself but for everyone he ever hurt."_

The hairs on the back of Hope's neck stood up. The voice was right behind him now. Before it seemed to assault him from everywhere, but now he could feel it in his ear. It was the proverbial devil on his shoulder, whispering to him the things he really wanted to do.

"No."

"_No? You dare refuse me?"_

"It'd be too easy. To reach out and take his worthless life. I say, let him earn that happiness. Let him earn my forgiveness. And if it's not enough, then we'll see."

There was no reply. Just the darkness. Then, spiralling from an unknown origin a white tendril of smoke floated towards him, banishing the darkness.

\/\/\/

"Where-where am I?"

Lightning appeared, inches from Vanille's face. Her face was turned so that the blind eye appeared to be examining Vanille closely. The Pulsian trembled as the milky whiteness watched her.

Lightning threw her arms wide and span around on the spot, her hands brushing Vanille's face. _"Welcome to my world!"_ The undead soldier laughed.

"_You always acted so cute and adorable. It made me _sick_ to just look at you. Fang may have been Ragnarok, but you were the real monster in the darkness."_ Vanille's eyes widened at the accusation and she started to speak, only to be cut off by Lightning. _"Quiet. Did I say you could speak? You, the source of all my problems, why should I let you live? You liar. You filthy, dirty lair. You knew our focus all along, didn't you. but that's not the worst thing you did."_

Lightning's gaze seemed to be drawn to something just over Vanille's shoulder. _"You took Serah from me. You took … my … Sister. You might not have committed the deed yourself, but it was your failure that she was branded. As if that wasn't enough I was made a l'Cie because of you. You didn't flip my world upside down, you tore it piece to bloody piece. I have one more word to describe you." _Lightning paused for a moment. Her next words nothing but a mournful whisper.

"_Murderer. You killed me. You could have moved at any point before he crushed you, but no. I had to save you again. I had to do everything, and look where I ended up." _Lightning brought her hand up to the ruined side of her face and touched it tenderly. _"A misshapen wreck bound to serve a fal'Cie master that makes me fight the only friends I had."_

Vanille couldn't hold it in anymore, the shame and guilt had been burning in her for so long, and Lightning's words were so true. "I'm sorry, Light!"

"_I'm sorry, Light."_ Lightning mocked Vanille's childish voice and mannerisms. _"Could you be any more pathetic? I don't think you ever meant it when you said those words. They become filthy and tainted in your mouth."_

"_But maybe you mean it this time? Is that right, murderer? I need a token, not the flimsy words that you spit out like drool."_ Lightning held out her hand and Vanille's eyes widened even more at the glimmer balanced perfectly in the gloved palm. _"Prove you're really sorry. Prove it to me Vanille."_

In shaking hands Vanille took up the survival knife. She could feel waves of anger and fear rolling off the blade, tinged with anticipation. Dry swallowing, Vanille placed the knife against her neck. It felt like ice, freezing and burning her skin. Eyes closed, Vanille moved the knife. Seconds later the world turned white.

\/\/\/

Snow opened his eyes. He tried to look at his surroundings, only to see black smoke. Instantly he deduced that he wasn't in that chamber anymore, probably had something to do with whatever Light did to him. With nothing to do, he merely waited.

"_How will you tell her, Snow? How will you tell Serah what happened to her sister?"_

Lightning stepped out of the swirling darkness. There was something off about her face. It flickered between anger and sorrow. He answered honestly. "I don't know. Sis, what's happening to you?"

Lightning looked at her hands, turning them over in her vision. _"I don't know. Snow, I'm scared."_

"We're here for you Light."

"_That's what I'm scared of. I don't want to hurt you. But I don't want to die."_

"What was it like? Being dead I mean."

"_I never found out. The fal'Cie took me, tortured me until I bent to their will. I can feel them now, inside my head."_

"It'll be okay, Sis. I promise you." Lightning laughed. This time it wasn't menacing or evil. It had joy, it had happiness, it was beautiful.

"_Don't keep promises you can't keep. Look after her, Snow. Tell her, I'm sorry."_

Without a word Lightning disappeared. For an instant, Snow saw the happy smiling Lightning that he imagined whenever Serah told him about her, not the twisted slave she was now.

\/\/\/

Snow opened his eyes, this time back in the chamber. Beside him Hope was already up and Sazh was complaining about the 'worst hangover he ever had'. A soft sob echoed in the cavernous chamber and the three men turned to face the smallest girl.

Hope knelt beside her. "Vanille? Are you okay?"

Vanille stopped sobbing and brightened immediately, her familiar mask snapping back into place out of reflex. "Yeah. Just had some sense knocked into me." Her hand moved to the point where she had placed the knife. Before she could even move it into her own flesh it had been torn from her hands by Lightning.

They all looked at the last person to wake up, Fang. A scream drew their attention to the figure being held above their heads.

Lightning hung in the air, still held by the chains. Four of them had turned white and looked extremely brittle, the last one, in her back, pulsated with violent red light that burned the eyes. Every so often she would twitch or scream or call out unintelligible words.

\/\/\/ - (hey! That looks like a set of teeth! Neat. Sorry for this little outburst, I will continue with the story now.)

"What were you going to say to me? Before you…"

Lightning smiled her half smile. _"Do you love me Fang? Even like this?"_

"What kind of question is that, of course I love you."

Lightning grimaced for a second and the rest of her skin burned and bubbled. _"What about like this?_

Fang smiled. It hurt so much to see Lightning like this, tormenting her. She closed her eyes. "I love you for you." she opened her eyes and saw the full faced Lightning, back to her perfection, instead of the two-face replica she that had been burned into her mind's eye.

"_What was I going to say? I love you Fang. I'm sorry I wasn't brave enough to say it sooner. I want you to live a full life without me. All of those things Fang."_

"I lo-" Lightning placed her finger tips on Fang's lips.

"_Don't say it Fang. Don't bind yourself to a ghost."_

"But it's true." Fang looked guilty for a second. "Besides I already said it quite a few times."

Lightning sighed. _"Fang you have to promise me something. You have to move on."_

"But we have you back…"

"_Fang, that body back in the real world isn't really mine. It's a construct, it lives off magic. When the fal'Cie die, so will it. Promise me now, that you will live a good life. Forget me, just live."_

"I can't leave you." Fang whispered. Her eyes brightened, burning with an inner flame. "I can save you!"

Lightning leant in on her tiptoes. Her lips touched fang's forehead, setting the skin there aflame. _"You already have."_

Lightning faded away, and the black mist changed colour, from the midnight black to a rose pink that throbbed with red. Fang tried to grab at the disappearing woman, but her hand passed straight through. There was a wooden clang and Fang looked 'down' so see a spear on the floor, an exact replica of the one that had been shattered. On the shaft a lightning bolt had been carefully engraved.

\/\/\/

Fang snapped her eyes open, startling the four gathered around her. Gratefully she took Snow's hand and he pulled her to her feet. "Are you okay, Fang?"

"I'm bloody fantastic. Let's go hunt some fal'Cie scum." She answered, eyes narrowing on the thing at the bottom of the pit.

They stood at the edge of the gaping maw that led to Orphan's Cradle. "So…any ideas?" Snow asked.

Fang took a few steps back. "Just one." Then she jumped.

Hope decided against following her that way. Instead he fired blizzard after blizzard to form an ice ramp down. It was a reminder that he was still just a child when he cheered as he slid down. Then again, so did Vanille and Snow. Sazh tried to slide down like the young people, but ended up falling and sliding down on his stomach.

Fang looked around for any sign of Orphan. All there was to give them a clue about its location was a narrow passage way by the entrance of which lay-

"Lightning!" Hope called and dashed over, the other l'Cie on his heels. He skidded to a halt next to his mentor. Carefully one hand was placed on her forehead, the other checked her pulse. "She's cold. No pulse. I think she's-"

Hope couldn't bring himself to finish what he was saying. A shuddering gasp broke the silence.

"Hope?" Lightning murmured. "Proud of you…Stronger than I ever was."

Sazh was incredulous. "They were tests?" She didn't hear him.

"Look after Dajh, Sazh. Life without a parent can be difficult. And life isn't going to get easier." Lightning panted. It was becoming increasingly difficult to speak, like when she died the first time. Right now she could barely summon the energy to keep her eyes open, let alone speak. But she fought on.

"Van-ille." She groaned. Her body was failing rapidly. She couldn't move her legs but she could feel her arms, even if all she could feel was the burning pain caused by collapsing veins and arteries. "Forgive me?"

"Shouldn't I be asking for you forgiveness, Light?" Lightning laughed, dribbling down her chin, creating a crimson pool on her chest.

"Well then," She paused to cough, more blood flew out of her mouth. "I forgive you."

Her head slumped forwards, her hair creating a pink curtain around her face. Fang knelt down and gently shook her. Her skin blistered from the cold she radiated. "Light? Can you hear me? Please don't leave me Light, not again. Don't put me through this."

Behind Fang, Hope leaned closer to Snow, his voice low, as to not disturb Fang. "How come she didn't say goodbye to you two?"

Snow remembered the little talk he had with Lightning in that dream-like state he had been in, he could only assume that the others had a similar experience. "I think she already did, in her own way."

Fang stood up. Her cold, emotionless voice echoed in the chamber. "Let's go."

"But Fang-"

"Let's…Bloody…Go."

\/\/\/

Fang screamed.

Vanille screamed.

Hope screamed.

Sazh screamed.

Snow screamed.

Orphan laughed.

It was the symphony of sadism. The prelude of pain. The orchestra of oblivion.

Fang didn't know how long Orphan had been torturing them, it could have been seconds, it could have been minutes. All she knew was that everything hurt and her friends were hurting too. She bit through her tongue at one point to try and stifle the screams of pain coming from her own mouth, but she bit right through. Orphan _kindly_ healed her, fully repairing the tongue. She suspected that the fal'Cie had been healing them as he went along, to make the experience more painful and last longer. Fang winced as Hope screamed again, every bone in his hands and arms broken and healed in an instant.

"Stop it!" Fang screamed, a fresh wave of pain rolling up her spine as her back was was odd, but instead of clouding the mind, the pain cleared it, made it sharper. And she could see what had to be done. "I'll do whatever you want, just stop hurting the others."

The fal'Cie stopped the torture for a moment, allowing the l'Cie to gather their strength and wits. "You know what I want. You know what you have to do to stop the pain."

"I refuse to let that monster out."

"Pity. It could have saved your friends." Orphan actually sounded disappointed. You know you're mad when your greatest want is to die at the hands of the great destroyer. The pain started again, this time with an additional twist. Their minds were attacked simultaneously.

Fang felt her cast iron control over the beast inside her slip, and Ragnarok took the slight opening, ramming himself against her mental barriers. Fang's bronze skin began to glow with an inner light. She looked at her hands and watched as her fingers lengthened. Claws grew where her nails had been.

Her back arched as a tail grew from her spine. Black hair twisted and writhed in an invisible breeze, gold highlights bled into the dark locks, over powering the natural colour. Gums bleeding, her teeth lengthened to points that cut her lips. Viridian eyes closed only to open as black as the night. Small white circles replaced her pupils, ringed in gold, and began to track the final changes.

Where Fang had laid curled up, now stood an incomplete Ragnarok. The beast stared at Orphan, chest heaving. It leapt off massive hind legs to attack the fal'Cie. Without warning it stopped in mid-air.

Ragnarok looked down to see the faintly smiling figure of Lightning. The transformation began to undo itself from where the soft, slender hand touched the muscled leg. Lightning smiled at Fang, and the blood began to fade. Fang smiled back, and the grotesque half of Lightning's face began to smoothen and change colour. Cobalt swirls appeared in the blind eye, as her hair regrew faster than the eye could follow. The real Lightning, beautiful as the day they met, now waited, holding onto Fang's leg. Slowly Fang was pulled down to the ground, sandaled feet not making a sound. The others watched in awe at the transformations happening. the tender moment was broken by the sickly laugh of Orphan.

"Ah, my puppet. Come to die with your friends, have you? You could have had a place in the new world, but you fought the bindings, fought your destiny."

A blue glow, originating between Lightning's breasts where her brand lay, engulfed the woman. "Didn't you notice?" Lightning asked, the blue grow starting to become corporeal. "We're all about fighting destiny."

She threw her arms wide, and the world ended.

\/\/\/

Boom! And chapter 3 is done. Any mistakes, don't hesitate to point them out. Nothing about how the story actually goes, I know this isn't how it goes. If it is, I'll eat my good arm.

Feel free to make predictions about where you think this is going. Please review. No new chapters will come out until we reach say…13 reviews. If you want to flame, could you at least mention how to improve the story and why you dislike it? Also please, please provide a name so I can quote you.

I reckon someone (cough**Juwpiter081**cough)has been reading my plan. Literally. I actually thought about doing…well you saw what I did. Juwp-you have no idea how close you were with that prediction. Also, I realised what a monumentally stupid thing I asked you. Seconds after I posted that chapter I realised that I could just check your profile. I am an idiot. Also, shame about your finger. Welcome to the club of broken handed fanfiction writers. I have a Broken arm, still writing.

Who wants to see the plan? I know you do, don't lie. Don't worry, it's only up to this point in the story, I'm not going to give away any spoilers. Hem hem…

_Lightning dies-Save Vanille? Fang sad. Fang becomes angry. Beat up Barthandelus. Light resurrected as puppet. Takes l'Cie into a magical place. Talks with them. Saves them._

You see that? That is the longest plan I have ever written. Seriously.

Now a few messages. To **–siarafaerie-101-miss**, I am very sorry if this sound mean or threatening, but how fast do you want me to write? I update on an irregular schedule I know, but I update pretty much every two days, four at the most. I am doing GCSEs, have a broken arm and doped up on painkillers half the time, otherwise there would be a new chapter every day. Now Miss faerie, I do apologise if this comment offended you in any way, I look forward to more reviews from you, but I have a question, I thought you hated stories where the main character/love dies. It says so in your profile.

I lied about the few messages part. There was only one.

Bye for now, remember 13 reviews before the next chapter comes out (that's thirteen in total, not the 5 current ones plus an extra 13. That would be 18. I can do maths me!)


	4. Chapter 4

First off, a thanks to everybody that actually looked at the Terry message and helped in any way. I hope I got that sorted out.

Next, I know I asked for thirteen reviews but I only got up to twelve, but I'm going to release this chapter now. Plus I have a special offer for you lot. If this story reaches 20 reviews, just twenty, then on Friday I will release not one, not two, but three, that's right, THREE, chapters. That'll be one for this story and two for my newest story _Memories of a Dream_, the sequel to _Broken Strings_.

Lastly, a small thank you to the reviewers. Yes, thank you. you take the time to give a small piece of advice or praise. It doesn't take long, just 30 seconds or so. The next story you read, send a review, it can brighten an authors day.

Now, to quote a friend of mine "What the fuck are you doing and get on with it."

\/\/\/

_Day 1_

Fang opened her eyes, the harsh sun blinding her. When they had adjusted slightly, she could see the vast expanse of her homeland. Gran Pulse unfolded in front of her, a sight for literally sore eyes. Much better than that prison they had been in. Behind her, the others began to stir. Fang turned around, afraid of what she would see.

Her eyes never found the main group. There, as if reaching up to stroke the sky, was a pillar of crystal. It twisted and turned as it made its way up to the sky, and at the top, like a centre-piece sat Cocoon. The sun glinted off the huge structure, sending all shades of pink and blue scattering over the plains of Gran Pulse. It was far larger than Tejin's Tower had been.

"That is something." Sazh said. There were no real words capable of describing the pillar; you could say all you wanted about it. You could talk till your lips turned blue. But the only way to understand the beauty was to stand where the former l'Cie were and look up.

Everyone nodded or added their own comments of agreement. They knew exactly what had caused this phenomenon. They knew who sat at the heart of this crystal.

"Snow!" "Daddy!" The simultaneous cries of happiness drew their attention. In the distance a mob of people huddled together, out of fear. In the foreground, two small people were getting closer, running to the group. Serah ran, holding little Dajh's hand to stabilise him on the rough ground.

Serah ploughed right into Snow's stomach, winding the big man and bouncing off the muscles there. He grabbed her before she could fall and pulled her into the tightest hug possible, almost crushing the tiny girl. The height difference was no more apparent than that moment, when her face was pressed into the gap at the bottom of the ribs. He let go, before picking her up and spinning her around, looking into her eyes. He gently lowered her to the ground, laughing.

"Where's Claire?" They all stiffened, even sash who had been completely focused on his son. This was uncomfortable territory. How would they explain that her sister died? Or that she was resurrected by their enemy, forced to fight them, then decided to sacrifice herself so they could live?

Fang walked up behind Snow and laid her hand on his shoulder. It was a bit of a stretch. Serah's eyes narrowed suspiciously at them. Right there, in that scowl, Fang could see the resemblance between the sisters. It was like a smaller and more cutely dressed Lightning was with them.

Snow couldn't find the words. "Lightning is…" He choked.

Serah's eyes softened and filled with worry. "Where Claire? Please Snow, tell me."

Fang looked between Snow and Serah, a plan already forming. It was the easiest way. She unclipped something from Snow's belt and held it in her palm. It was heavier than she would have thought given the small size. But how much of that weight was her emotions?

Fang held out her hand. Serah looked at it in horror, falling to her knees.

\/\/\/

Fang sat on her bed, head in hands and wishing to just leave all this behind. Serah was inconsolable, and had been ever since she saw the survival knife in Fang's hand. They had tried to take it off her, but she only held on tighter, clutching it to her chest. The moment the first tears had fallen, Fang decided it wasn't a good idea to show her the pendant.

Vanille had relieved Snow of 'Serah Watch', allowing the man some time to get food and a little sleep. Fang didn't envy her younger sister, she personally didn't know how to deal with crying people.

"Faaaaang?" A voice called. "Faaaannnggg?"

Fang's head snapped up. "FFaaaaaannnnnnggg? I have come to deliver a warning!"

"Lightning!" Fang jumped up and pounced on the selfless soldier. All she received was a bump on the head and a dent in the wall. From her new position on the floor, Fang looked up at Lightning. The only good thing about having done that was that she now had a nice view up Lightning's skirt. "What the hell?"

"Maybe I should have mentioned that. I'm slightly incorporeal."

"Prove it. Prove to me that you are Lightning." Fang pressed her back against the wall and pushed herself up. She must have hit her head hard, she was hallucinating.

"On the Lindblum I walked in on you in the shower. You were…relaxing. Upon realising I was there you asked me if I would like to join you, I declined your offer." Lightning stepped in close to the now standing Fang. She tried to run her fingers up Fang's arm, but occasionally they would float through accidentally. "I wish I hadn't."

Fang suppressed a shudder. There was only one person who had ever invoked this kind of reaction from her. "Yep. You're Lightning."

Lightning tried to sit on the bed, but drifted straight through. "Damn it!" She cursed as she floated back up.

Fang sat next to her. "So, what are you?"

"As far as I can tell, some kind of ghost. My body's gone, probably left with all the fal'Cie scum, so here I am…" Lightning trailed off, mumbling the last few words. Fang was about to inquire what she said, until something hit her.

"Did you just make a joke? When you came in?"

Lightning furrowed her brow for a second then smiled. "I guess I did. Was everyone okay?"

"Yeah. You saved them all. We're so proud of you, Light. You should see the pillar you made, it's fantastic, it's so beautiful. It's like you."

Lightning blushed. "Stop it!" Her happy expression dropped to a faraway look. "I didn't save everyone, Fang. There were people I couldn't save. I tried so hard, but some of them didn't survive being a crystal. Entire families have been ripped apart because I wasn't good enough."

Fang held an arm over Lightning's shoulder. She couldn't actually rest her arm there, as it was pass through. "Lightning, listen to me. You did your best, and that's more than we asked. I'll bet you did a better job than any of us could have done."

"Thanks Fang. You should get some sleep."

"What about you?" She asked.

"I'll be here when you wake up, don't you worry." Lightning answered, a half smile gracing her lips.

\/\/\/

_Day 2_

"Remind me why I am dragging a Behemoth all the way back to Oerba." Fang groaned.

Lightning sat on an uprooted tree ahead of her. "The people need food Fang. Face it, you're the big hunter-gatherer now. Got to provide for a few hundred, not just a few."

"Don't see you carrying your share."

"Sorry babe, but these arms ain't made for carrying." She replied, imitating Fang's accent. Lightning turned her incorporeal arms over, before passing them through the tree she was sat on. "These arms aren't made for anything actually."

"I don't see why I have to provide for so many. I should have had a few helpers."

"I'm as surprised as you that so many people went to Oerba."

"How so?"

"Well, I expected everyone to want to stick together. I didn't expect loads of people to follow you lot."

"Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome. Now move that nice ass, I need something to ogle."

Fang saluted. "Yes, ma'am!"

\/\/\/

_Day 3_

"…look, I'm just saying that it must be nice not to have to worry about eating or sleeping or other bodily functions."

Lightning sighed. "I understand what you mean, but it's annoying. I have to wait while you eat and do you know how bored I get while you sleep?"

Fang laughed a bit. "And just how do you entertain yourself while I sleep?"

"I'm not telling." Lightning replied. They returned to silence as Fang wolfed down her meal.

"Hey, remember how badly you lot reacted when you had real food?"

"That was not fun." Lightning said simply. Safe to say, their first day on Gran Pulse was fine. The second day, after they ate some of the indigenous food, was not as enjoyable. "Why?"

"Just think how many people are going through that." Lightning laughed, throwing her head back.

Vanille walked into the kitchen at that point, causing Fang to seize up and Lightning to stop laughing. She collected a bowl and filled it with stew, before taking it over to the table where Fang was sitting. There was already a chair pulled out so Vanille sat there.

Unbeknownst to Vanille, Lightning was in that chair. "So Fang, who were you talking to?" she asked.

"Me. Now do you mind? I was sitting here long before you came along. Hey! Don't ignore me. What can you not see me or some…oh."

Fang tried to cover for herself. Would she go with the truth and look like a loony, or say nobody and look like less of a loony. "Oh, nobody. Just thinking aloud."

\/\/\/

_Day 6 _

Alright, Lightning thought, I really need a new hobby. She was currently floating next to Fang, watching her sleep. It was bordering on the creepy. But she was so beautiful when she was sleeping, she looked like a dark haired angel, occasionally moaning and moving like someone was…oh.

Lightning decided to leave Fang with her dream at this point. She looked like she was having fun. A sudden idea hit Lightning like an underdog boxer hits large animal carcasses hung up in a walk-in freezer.

She floated over to the door and grabbed the handle. And grabbed the handle. And grabbed the handle. A growl escaped her lips as her hand went through the handle for a fourth time. Behind her Fang roller over onto her front and whimpered something that sounded oddly like her name.

A second idea hit Lightning like a wet fish. She gathered up her wits and simply walked through the door. Out of habit she tried to turn the handle on Serah's door, but stopped herself as she brushed the metal handle. Instead she poked her head through the door to see her sister sleeping soundly in the arms…of…Snow.

\/\/\/

_Day 7_

Fang opened her eyes slowly. That had been a wonderful dream, and she hadn't wanted it to end but…well what are you going to do? She sat up, pushing the covers of her bare chest. One hand reached up into the air until her back cracked, while the other searched for her top.

A small sob drew her attention to a corner of the room, where Lightning now sat rocking backwards and forwards, muttering to herself. Blank eyes stared at the wall, accusing it.

"Light? Are you okay?" Fang asked, pulling the black halter on.

"Serah. In Snow's arms. Got to kill him. But can't." Every break in her sentence was punctuated by a shudder, the rocking never stopping.

Fang swung her legs out from under the covers. "People often cuddle after sex, Light." She explained. In her defence she hadn't woken up properly, so she didn't realise that that statement might do more harm than good.

Lightning began to rock even faster, the shuddering becoming even more frequent. Her left eye began to twitch in sync with the shuddering. "Serah. Protect Virtue. Kill Snow. No. Too far. Serah sad. Maim Snow. Yes."

"Really Light? You're this worried about keeping her safe? Did you ever let any of her boyfriends get lower than her neck line? Next you'll be telling me you're a virgin yourself."

The rocking stopped.

"Maker, really?" Fang exclaimed, and began to laugh. "You haven't been with anyone! And now you're scared your sister popped the cherry before you? That's hilarious Light, no wonder you're so uptight. A good orgasm would do you a world of good.

\/\/\/

_Day 10_

Fang reached for a bottle that sat beside the shower and poured a dollop of whatever was inside onto her hands and made a decent lather. Judging from the smell of strawberries and apples, this was Serah's. She rubbed the shampoo into her hair thoroughly, making sure it went right to the roots. Fang didn't put a lot of effort into looking good, she did that naturally, but when she did feel the need to beautify herself she took it seriously.

A bit of the lather fell from her head and landed on her chest, so she wiped it off. Where she touched, the skin burned with pleasure, sending shudders up her spine. She finished with her hair and picked up the bottle again, pouring more shampoo onto her hands. Those hands ran sensuously over her chest and stomach, and Fang closed her eyes, to better pretend they were Lightning's soft palms and delicate fingers teasing their way across her breasts and tweaking her nipples.

"Hey Fang, what're you doing." Fang literally jumped in surprise and her eyes shot open. Lightning's head was poking through the door to the bathroom, with a bore expression on her face.

"What the hell, Light? I'm having a shower here!"

"No one else wants to play with me." Lightning said childishly as she stuck her bottom lip out and pouted.

Fang groaned. She had been so close. "We already discussed this Light. No one else can see or hear you, that's why they didn't want to play, as you put it."

"Oh yeah." Lightning let the sad face go. "That didn't look like just showering."

Fang blushed. Before she had met the soldier, she was in control. People blushed at her compliments, lusted after her and pined after her approval. But the tables had turned. "I was…relaxing."

"How were you relaxing?" Lightning asked. Fang really couldn't believe she asked that. Then again, this was Lightning. The straight laced soldier that hadn't realised other uses the vagina had until recently. The woman that nearly had a mental breakdown at the thought of her sister doing it.

"Never mind. Let me finish up and I'll be out in a minute." Fang sighed.

\/\/\/

_Day 13_

Fang opened her eyes, like she did every morning. Lightning was stood beside her bed, like she did every morning. Yawning a good morning, Fang swing her legs round to the side of the bed and rested her feet on the smooth wood of her floor. She stretched her arms in the air, until her back made a satisfying crack, then decided it was time to get off the bed.

A hand stopped her. Her eyes noticed a pair of bare feet on the floor. Not floating slightly above it, but actually resting _on_ the floor. Fang ran her eyes up the legs attached to those feet, her mind wondering how much longer they could go on. The legs ended and joined at a pair of luscious hips, which themselves tapered off to solid abs. The viridian orbs couldn't manage to tear themselves of the mounds on the porcelain chest. Fang had to wonder how she kept those puppies hidden.

"Hey Fang? My eyes are up here." Then the hand pushed Fang down onto the bed roughly. Lightning straddled Fang and leaned in close, so her sculpted lips were next to the Pulsian's ear. She slid a hand under the black crop top Fang wore as she spoke.

"You're mine." She growled, then bit on Fang's ear. She eyes closed as she moaned her name.

Fang opened her eyes, like she did every morning. "Dammit!" She cursed loudly.

"Having a nice dream there?" Lightning taunted. "I heard you say my name a few times."

Fang blushed, muttering under her breath about 'sexy soldiers who can't stay out of her dreams'.

\/\/\/

The former l'Cie gathered in the main room of their house. Fang had called them together upon Lightning's insistence. The ghost now stood in the doorway, looking in at them all sat down around Fang, who was standing in the centre of their circle.

"Fang? What's up?"

Fang decided to get straight to the matter at hand. "I know you all think I'm mad, talking to myself, but I'm not. Really."

Snow cracked a joke. "You aren't mad, or you aren't talking to yourself?" There was a small round of sniggers.

"I would smack you for that Snow." Fang threatened. "I've…I've been talking to Lightning."

"Lightning." Said Serah, flatly. Her eyes narrowed just like her sister's would. "You think that you have been 'speaking' to Lightning. My sister. Who is dead." There was a collective exhalation of breath as everyone realised there was not going to be a massive emotion explosion. "IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE TO YOU, YOU SICK FUCK?"

Everyone jumped at the sudden anger, Fang physically flinched from what could have been a sonic attack for all she knew. Unheard to everyone but Fang a little voice scolded Serah for her language.

"Serah, please I'm telling the truth. What can I say to convince you?"

"You can't say anything. Why would Lightning only talk to you, wouldn't she have a few things to say to the rest of us?" Fang looked at the doorway, which was empty to everyone else. Lightning nodded and furrowed her brow.

"The thing is…" Fang started.

"…I am real." Lightning said from the doorway. They all looked to the doorway to see the source of the voice, but there was no one.

Have you ever cut yourself by accident, then wrapped the cut in something until you can get proper medical attention? Did you notice how the blood slowly seeped through, becoming darker and clearer. That was exactly how Lightning appeared to the group, fading in like blood through a makeshift bandage.

"Lightning!" They cheered in various states of shock. There was one cry of 'Sis' that went ignored. Serah moved to dive onto her sister.

"I wouldn't do that. I'm not exactly solid."

Fang rolled her eyes. "More warning than you gave me."

Serah couldn't stop the tears brimming in her eyes. "What happened to you Claire? Why didn't you come back with the rest of us?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know that too."

"Agreed."

"Choboco!" Dajh cried out. He had finally figured out how to pronounce that word and he was going to let everyone know he knew how. The rest of the group assumed he didn't understand the gravitas of the situation, which was understandable seeing as he was six.

Lightning adopted a faraway look. "I couldn't come back. The body the fal'Cie created to store my consciousness in sustained by magic. However it was also bound to the fal'Cie Orphan. When it died so did my body, so I was left as a spirit."

"But why did you appear to Fang first? Why didn't you come to the rest of us?"

"My pendant."

Even Fang looked surprised at this revelation. "What about it?"

"I'm bound to it. Where it goes, I go. Fang has been holding onto it since I died the first time." Fang reached into her top and pulled out the pendant. She slowly unhooked the clasp and lowered it reverently to the table between them. "It was great and all, being between your breasts Fang, but it was a bit squished."

"Says you." She retorted.

"Says me." Lightning sighed. "Look I don't have long left. This is good bye."

"Lightning?"

"The magic is going. I told you, my survival is sustained by the magic. The fal'Cie were the conduits of magic into our world."

Hope's eyes brightened. "What about l'Cie? We could use magic, why aren't we bringing in new magic?"

"No fal'Cie, no l'Cie." Lightning began to pace. Her feet had faded out of existence. "Look, don't bother. I've realised this is going to happen, and have come to terms with it." By now her legs had gone as well. "I love you guys, you know that?" Her torso was now disappearing, as well as the ends of her hair. "I'll be waiting on the other side." And she was gone.

\/\/\/

Boom! Does that count as a cliff hanger. I swore I wouldn't be the kind of author that always ended on a cliff hanger, but I seem to be doing that more and more recently. Anyway remember my offer, if this story gets to 20 reviews, then I will release three chapters. Maybe four if it doesn't kill me.

Until next time.


	5. Chapter 5

Qu'est-que sup?

I should point out a few things before we should get started.

Numero uno: chapter 4 has been released. I'm surprised how few people noticed. To be honest it is disappointing. I get the feeling you lot don't love me. :(

Duex: I decided to do the blatant promotion up here and messages to people at the bottom. Undying, by Juwpiter; Visions of Tomorrow, by can't remember their name right now, I could check but that's take too long; In Another World, by Prudence Chastity.

The last one is fantastic, she (I'm guessing Prudence is a she) writes it so well; fully developing the characters and making their interactions believable. Even though it is in an Alternate Universe she still holds to the core personality aspects of the characters while adding twists. I feel I should mention that you should be careful going on her profile to find other stories, they get rather randy. I will admit mine do touch on sex, but hers grab it by the balls and shake it vigorously. Also she is a major Flight fan, with a willingness to add a few characters into the mix.

Last point before you can have a chapter to read: we did not reach 20 reviews. I stated in chapter four that if this story reached 20 reviews you would receive three chapters. That did not happen. You do not receive three chapters. Simple enough to understand. Its your own faults. To the people that did review, thank you.

Now let's get on with the story

\/\/\/

"It is time."

\/\/\/

Fang sat in Lebreau's new bar oblivious to the world that wasn't the sticky drink she held in front of her. The barmaid was amazing. Barely three weeks of life on Pulse and she had already figured out how to make alcohol and had a booming business. She claimed that is was good for morale, and it was.

Turning the small glass over in her hands, Fang signalled to the barmaid she would like another drink. Within seconds another small glass was in front of her, and gone in an instant. Lebreau may make good alcohol, but it had nothing on traditional Gran Pulse ale. One pint of that and you'd be holding onto the floor. This stuff? It was weak. Fang had already drunk seven of these and she was barely tipsy. Either that or every former resident of Cocoon was a light-weight. Fang looked at the man who had passed out next to her. Yep, Cocoon people were definite light-weights. The voice of the patron next to her faded into her little world.

"I'm telling you, we were up north of here, exploring the land around Oerba, when a massive Behemoth jumped out of nowhere. It smacked Harry out of the way, then went for Sarge. He was like bam-bam-bam with his rifle but it kept coming closer and bit him. It had his leg in his mouth and was swinging him side to side. We thought he was a goner when this light appeared in the sky, even the Behemoth stopped to look at it. It kept getting bigger and bigger until we realised it was getting closer. It hit the ground really hard, and I nearly fell over. When the dust cleared, the Behemoth was dead and there was this knight there he didn't say anything. He just looked at us and I saw this place in my head, like he put it there, and then he flew off."

Lebreau leaned over the bar. "Okay, I think you've had enough."

The man shook his head violently. "I barely had one drink. I'm fine…" He said, before falling backwards off his seat. Fang snickered. Lightweights.

\/\/\/

The stories of the mysterious defenders had grown and spread, but everyone had a tale of their own of how a light appeared in the sky and fell to earth. They would be left with an image of a place, the same place.

The descriptions people gave sounded exactly like the Eidolons, except organic instead of mechanical. Fang wondered if they really were…now was not the time. She was hunting a gang of Goblins that had been attacking their village. She could see them just ahead, resting by a water hole. Her spear came free of her holder easily like she would expect, seeing as it had never failed her once. The blades sprang up with a roar. A roar?

Fang slowly looked over her shoulder. Right behind her stood a Lobo, ready to pounce.

Instantly, Fang knew she was going to be killed here. She knew she was a good fighter, and the best hunter On Gran Pulse, but she also knew this fight was way beyond her skills while she was alone. If only she had a certain pink-haired girl to watch her back, them they could take anyone on. There was only one way forward. She dashed right at the Lobo.

The beast looked in confusion at the rapidly approaching woman. There wasn't a lot of room in its head for creative thinking, but something was wrong with this scene. Most creatures ran in fear from it and this tiny thing was attacking it with a stick?

The 'stick' hit the Lobo on the nose, the most sensitive part. It roared and swiped at her, it's claws catching her stomach, tearing the skin, but nothing else. The woman turned and ran, the Lobo gave chase, its animal mind set on revenge. Suddenly the woman disappeared, and the Lobo turned its head looking for its quarry. She was honestly gone. The enraged beast did notice a group of Flans at _its_ watering hole and crept over to kill the intruders.

Fang heard howling, and so assumed it was safe to come out now. Her head popped out of a small bush and looked side to side, almost comically. Unfortunately for her the Lobo turned its head at that moment and caught sight of her. She ducked inside, aware it was too late. The hot breath of the beast ruffled the leaves of the bush and messed up Fang's hair. That was the annoying bit. She could handle dying, then she'd be with Light, but messing up her hair. That was one step to far, matey.

She jumped out of the bush, spear raised for a final charge, and stopped. There was no Lobo. Admittedly there was a great big carcass of a Lobo right by the bush, and a pulled of Flan remains. Fang slowly turned, fearing another predator that could tear her into even bloodier chunks.

There stood the greatest predator of all. Bahamut.

The great dragon looked at her and Fang steeled herself for a fight. "Come on then, you want some?" She called. She couldn't help it, it was her playful nature.

Her Eidolon shook his head, indicating he didn't want to fight. The man-dragon hybrid reached out and touched Fang's forehead. There was a rushing wave of sights and smells and sounds in Fang's head, which slowed to a drip. A wall of blue floated in Fang's mind. It looked like someone had roughly hewn a doorway into the stone. The rock face shimmered and changed colour to a champagne pink, exactly like Li…, it became pink and the doorway seemed to gain a depth greater than the human mind could understand.

Fang opened her eyes to see Bahamut gone, the only signs of his existence and that she wasn't mad were the corpses. Sighing, Fang took the Lobo's tail over her shoulder and began to pull. May as well bring this home, she thought. She remembered the first time she had been on a proper hunt since they relocated to Gran Pulse. Lightning had been there, if not in body at least in spirit, and they talked and talked as she dragged her quarry home. Good times.

\/\/\/

"Fang! Come quick!"

"What? I was sleeping. I'll have you know that looking this good isn't easy!" Fang leaned out of the door to see Serah bouncing up and down outside it. Literally, she was jumping up and down repeatedly on the spot. Fang had heard the term 'jumping for joy', but this was taking it too far.

"Just hurry up."

\/\/\/

"Vanille!" Fang knocked on the door. "Van, open up."

The redhead bounced out of the door and started jumping up and down. Serah saw the bouncing girl and joined in. Somehow they had endeavoured to time their jumps so that as one was touching the floor as the other reached the peak of their jump. Both were now babbling insanely. Fang turned to a half awake Snow. "Do you have any idea what's going on?"

Snow yawned and shook his head. "Nah, Serah just woke me up and told me to get dressed. Apparently something is happening."

"Something is always happening, Snow." Fang retorted. She couldn't deal with this kind of stupidity this early in the morning.

"You sound just like Lightning." Snow pointed out. Fang's eyes narrowed dangerously. That subject was like a minefield, and Snow just wandered in on a pogo stick. "You know what's odd?"

"The fact that you haven't shut up yet?" Fang muttered under her breath.

"Thirteen days before most of became l'Cie, we were already affecting each other's lives. Then, Thirteen days after Sis came back, she went again. And now, thirteen days after she left us, something odd is happening!" Snow shouted. "Do you see, it's all about the number thirteen!"

"I think you've read too many conspiracy books." Fang didn't bother hiding the contempt in her voice now. The idiot was really grating on her nerves. They returned to watching the amazing-bouncing-duo. In a completely unplanned action they grabbed the girls and dragged them to the floor, willing them to re-embrace gravity. For such small and delicate-looking girls, they sure struggled a lot. By the look of Snow's eye, Serah packed quite a punch. Lightning probably taught her all kinds of moves, Fang mused as she pinned a flailing Vanille to the floor.

"Ready to go?" Fang asked, having finally pinned Vanille. The redhead didn't know it, but Fang had secretly mentally conditioned her to go completely limp when a certain part of the neck was touched with a certain pressure for a certain length of time. Only two people knew of the conditioning, Fang and the Matron of their Orphanage, and one of them was dead now.

Serah on the other hand had no such conditioning. It turned out Fang's earlier assumption that Lightning had taught her sister how to defend herself was correct. If the many bruises on Snow's face, and the way he was bent double on the floor was any indication, Lightning did a very good job. If she was her, the pink haired soldier would be fighting tears of pride. As she wasn't, Fang had to watch the spectacle unfold. Because Lightning couldn't. Not because she found this hilarious.

\/\/\/

Fang elbowed her way to the front of the crowd. It's easy to do when you're as tall, beautiful and dominant as Fang. Plus having a big spear to poke inconsiderate people with is a big help.

Fang stopped. Vanille banged into the back of Fang. Serah banged into the back of Serah. Snow knocked the three over.

They all looked up at the crystal pillar that held up the carcass of Cocoon. Everyone around them had the same gormless expression on their faces, looking into the doorway. Fang and company managed to get up and dust off in time to see the doorway light up. It was like looking into the sun, except it didn't hurt and there probably wasn't much chance of going blind. Probably. It was beautiful, like seeing the first snowflake fall, or the dew on the grass in the morning, or having that dream where you think your girlfriend (or boyfriend) has cheated on you, then you wake up and see them sleeping soundly beside you and all doubt is wiped away.

The light grew ever brighter and angelic chorus began to pick up, echoing in the mind and resonating in the soul. It didn't really hit the ears, instead passing right into your brain. Fang hadn't felt this relaxed since she was a little girl, long before the War of Transgression, when her world was all sugar and rainbows and love. Sadly that world ended shortly after, but it was nice to be able to remember the good times.

The light began to pulsate, faster and faster, until the flashing became a continuous light again.

"I am Etro. I have returned."

\/\/\/

"Faster!" Barthandelus screamed at his brethren. They were running to the newly opened Doorway. The Otherside was not a pleasant place. It was uncomfortable for the fal'Cie to be in. Shadows lapped at the edges of their vision, but soon it would be over. They were getting closer to their way out, to their destiny.

\/\/\/

"Oh Divine Etro, why have you returned to us?" Called a member of the crowd. There was a chorus of cheers.

"To reward my chosen people."

\/\/\/

"We're nearly there!" One of the fal'Cie, Phoenix, sang. It was true, they were at the threshold of the doorway. They couldn't be out of this hellish dimension fast enough. It felt like there was an extra plane of existence right in your head, sending ice down your spine and making a hold for your fear to come into the Otherside.

The fal'Cie stopped because of the sheer audacity of it. "You! Move out of our way. You may have helped us on our way to our destiny, but we will not allow you to impede us from achieving it!" Orphan called in its child-like voice.

One hand rested on the hip, the other flicked a strand of hair away from the face.

\/\/\/

The people watched in wonder as their camps and abysmal attempts at buildings corrected themselves. They had been good for a society that until recently had been dependant on the fal'Cie for everything they could ever need. However compared to their previous lifestyles they may as well have just gone to like in caves and abandoned language. As well as their few building becoming much sturdier, the knowledge of how to build properly leaked into their minds, as well as farming and agriculture.

The Cocoon people may have had their work finished and new knowledge imparted to them, but the wonders of Gran Pulse healed themselves. Around their feet, little blossoms were poking their heads through the ground, turning the barren wasteland into a garden of Gethsemane. Tejin's tower flew back together, the stone crashing into each other as they fought to get back into position.

\/\/\/

"You are going nowhere."

The fal'Cie made various noises that could only be interpreted as growling. "You will not stop us from receiving our reward! It is our destiny!"

"Silence sister." Barthandelus calmed Carbuncle with a wave of his hand. "You see, the humans did not die as we expected, your doing I believe, yet the Maker in all her wisdom felt that the death of magic was reason to return. A fitting sacrifice, if you will."

"I'm not letting you go anywhere."

The largest fal'Cie of all lumbered up. The other fal'Cie hurried to escape destruction under his massive feet. A smirk graced the face, as Titan stopped. Its voice boomed in the Otherside, sending shadows scattering. "The puny human wishes to stop us?" He inquired as he cast a critical eye over the human before him. The fact he could even see her was amazing.

Titan remembered this one. So full of anger and pain and sorrow, yet she was still strong. The brutish one and the mouthy one may have been physically stronger than her, but this one had an indomitable spirit and …the only word for it was guts. Long forgotten memories resurfaced. His anger at the plan. To kill all life was against everything he stood for and believed in.

Titan took his throw of the dice.

\/\/\/

"Thank you, oh divine and benevolent Etro!" The people cried repeatedly. It had started with one person and spread like a wave.

"Silence." The crowd immediately stopped making any noise, even breathing seemed to be too loud for the God. "I did not come here to help you. You must find your own way in the world, as I originally intended."

The orb of lights that seemed to house Etro floated away slightly, so there was a clear space before it.

\/\/\/

"Move, girl! You will not stop us from reaching our destiny!"

Lightning opened her eyes for the first time since she arrived in the Otherside. She threw her arms wide and watched as the fal'Cie recoiled in horror. White feathers and rose petals floated gently to the ground. Where they touched, the stormy black turned white, burning with the brightness of a thousand suns. She dropped her arms and grasped the gunblade that appeared at her side, most feathers fell. They seemed to appear when she moved. With a flick of her wrist the gunblade shot out of the holster, Lightning marvelled at how light it was and how fluidly it moved, like it was part of her. "You think you know about destiny?"

The fal'Cie were silent.

"Destiny can be changed. You forced a destiny onto people. The conflicting paths in their souls is what caused them to become Cie'th, trapped between them. I don't think you deserve a destiny." Lightning began to walk towards them. "I fought the destiny you gave me. It was hard at first, but then I realised, we make our own destiny." The walk sped up slightly. Lightning was wary of the form of Titan, who hadn't moved in a while. He seemed to be thinking. "Destiny! Fate! Reward! Destiny! You want your precious destiny so badly, well here it is!"

Lightning finished her little speech as Titan woke up. "You took everything from me, well I have one thing to say to you: Fate's a bitch, and so am I!"

"Titan, crush her!" Screamed Barthandelus fearfully. The shadows were getting closer, and he could see their eyes. Those deep, black eyes that sucked in all light and hope, leaving only dark despair in the pit of your soul.

"No." Titan answered. And died.

\/\/\/

The space before Etro seemed to twist and turn, like something was trying to grow there. The air shimmered in the relentless assault of the sun. Etro addressed the space before her.

"Titan, are you truly penitent of the sins of your brethren?"

The assembly didn't hear the reply, but Etro did. "Do you wish for my forgiveness?"

Again there was no answer for the humans to hear, but Etro seemed satisfied. "Then arise as my Vassal. I charge you to guard the Doorway for eternity. If you perform your duty, then at the end of time I will welcome you into my world."

The light of Etro left the clearing as the shimmer in the air vanished. Low murmuring passed through the crowd at this spectacle, wondering what happened. Etro stopped above the centre of the gathered masses. "And what of my champion? Where is she?"

Fang nudged Snow is the ribs. "She can't mean Light, can she?"

"Probably. So much crazy stuff has happened to us, I wouldn't be surprised." Snow whispered back.

They turned back to the hovering bauble of light. "Where is the one they call 'Lightning'?"

"My sister is dead." Serah said. Her voice wasn't very loud, but for some reason it really carried, so everyone could hear it.

"No matter. I can feel her, in The Otherside. My, my, what has she got herself into." Etro muttered. Sometimes the goddess didn't seem to be altogether there. A few sacrifices short of a full ceremony, if you get my meaning. There was a crack of thunder, even though the sky was perfectly clear. Seconds later a streak of white light flew down from the sky, striking the ground.

Fang's mouth dropped. Lightning was stood right where the lightning had hit, wearing some kind of armour that left nothing to the imagination. It seemed to hug her every curve. In a way Fang was both jealous of and angry at the armour. That was her Lightning, she wanted to be the one clinging to the soldier like that, and that armour was on her territory. Granted she had yet to actually claim Lightning as hers, but this was about principle.

"And you, my champion, I will grant one wish. What is your desire?" Etro asked Lightning. The soldier seemed unconcerned that she was suddenly back in the real world. Lightning cast her eyes around herself, looking at the crowd. For a second her eyes met Fang's but they moved on, almost as if she didn't see the warrior.

"Made my family happy."

"It is done."

\/\/\/

And that's the end of the chapter. Nope, nothing else to see here. Nothing at all.

To the wonderful people who have reviewed.

inuyouko-I have a few words for you, Bring. It. On. Oh, wait, you're letting it slide? Very well then, the hunt will have to wait. Also, I don't review regularly. It's for a reason. This way I can post at my own speed, people don't expect a chapter by a certain time every Friday and so I don't receive angry posts saying hurry up. plus it lets me do offers like "If this story reaches 20 reviews, just twenty, then on Friday I will release not one, not two, but three, that's right, THREE, chapters. That'll be one for this story and two for my newest story _Memories of a Dream_, the sequel to _Broken Strings_." Yeah, I said that. Too bad you lot didn't reach it, now you only get this on a Thursday!

Riaries-you put forward a pretty interesting review that influenced both this chapter and the next. Also, keep Light as a ghost? Maybe that could be worked in somehow. Heheheh, just had a brilliant idea for how to do that.

Juwpiter081-Juwp, old buddy, old pal, I'm glad to hear that your finger is okay! Anyway, at the risk of sounding like a hypocrite, UPDATE UNDYING! NOW! STOP READING AND START WRITING! Oh wait, you have seven chapters, last time I checked on it there were four.


	6. Chapter 6

THEY TOOK AWAY MY HYDROCODONE! To the non-doctors that read this story that's a powerful painkiller I had for my arm seeing as it wouldn't heal. Painkillers that fall under that category include Vocodin and Lorcet. Is there a good side to the pain, if I don't become addicted? I promise to keep updating

Enough about me, lets "get to the choppa!" or the messages, if you prefer.

Juwpiter081-is this fast enough for you? I want to get this written and posted the day after I did chapter 5. Anyway, I got the idea of Light's armour after looking at the FF13-2 advert on youtube. I honestly did not know that there was a sequel. So that's what people were writing about. About your comment "Be patient", do you not understand by now, I do not do patience.

SurfaceMemory-hey, is this your first time reviewing me? Regardless I look forward to reading your Final Fantasy stories. The Naruto stories? Not so much. The idea of putting the armour in was an afterthought after watching the ff13-2 advert on youtube. The idea of Fang liking and not liking it was an after-afterthought. Also thank you for pointing out that mistake, I'll probably correct it.

Riaries-you'll see, you'll see. Stick around. Anyway I need to check put your profile, see if you have any ff13 stories.

Ethereal Cosmos-thank you for the kind review. I'm not too sure that I pulled this off well. If you say so…

Linka94- is this fast enough? Hmm! Yeah, a next day posting. I'm very sorry for that angry outburst, I've been in a bad mood all day since I don't have any pain killers (or as my friend wrote on the little tub "happy pills"). I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sadly it is nearly over. Also SPOILER ALERT.

Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, time to die…I mean read. I said read, it is time to read.

\/\/\/

Barthandelus lay on his back, blank eyes staring into the growing darkness. His metal chest had been ripped open by a living force of nature, exposing the fal'Cie innards. Those had been mashed and slashed by his former puppet so badly, till he was a wreck. There would be no coming back from this. No healing, no ace in the hole, no mystic trickery or restoration.

In the darkness, the Shadows welled. Strange beings lived in The Otherside. Exposure warped your body and mind, often without you realising it. Many of the things that were waiting for him had no heads or more heads than you could count. Some had no bodies, others had extra bits of other bodies attached. Every manner of freakish being hid in the shadows, waiting to take them away and feast, like they had done to Anima and Carbuncle already. The problem with The Otherside, is that it was a gateway to many different dimensions and realities, allowing a manner of different beasts to come through.

As the very life bled from him, drawing more of the Shadows to him, Barthandelus couldn't help but mourn the loss of his destiny. As the many creatures began to gnaw and tear at his body, Barthandelus tried to shout a curse at Etro, at Fate and most of all, at Lightning Farron.

Lightning dived over a swinging arm, slashing at the metal as she flipped in the air. The fal'Cie roared in pain and swung again, only for the working arm to go through the space where Lightning's legs literally had been. Lightning looked down and her eyes widened.

Her legs were gone. It was like someone had taken an axe and chopped them off, without the messy blood and gore that came with amputation. She blinked and the cut off line moved up, nearing her navel. With a grunt she kicked off the floor on incorporeal legs, not that that would matter here, soaring high into the air to almost the same height as Titan. At the peak of her jump, Lightning twisted in the air, so her body began to spin in an aerial forward roll. This ball of death fell, tearing through the last fal'Cie, which died in the screeching sound of metal being torn in two.

Lightning looked up at the Guardian, and Titan looked back at her with a smile. When she looked down to examine how fast she was disappearing, she was alarmed to see that there was no body holding her up. A growl caught her attention.

The floating head of Lightning turned to see one of the Shadows growling, some kind of blood falling from its mouths. The seven legged thing pounced, the top jaw about to close on her head. Before she disappeared completely, Lightning saw a legion of the Shadows attacking Titan.

\/\/\/

Fang held her head in her hands. "Is she really gone this time? I bet she does this to taunt us, coming back every time we think she's really gone."

"It's hard on all of us Fang, we just need to…move on." Serah answered, patting the woman on her shoulder. As someone who had seen her last remaining family member, who she thought dead, three times, Serah was taking this remarkably well.

They had walked back from the return of Etro in complete silence, wondering what Lightning meant by 'make my family happy'. Dinner had been a sordid affair, with no one talking or making eye contact. Vanille had wandered up to bed, and Snow decided he needed a drink at Lebreau's bar, leaving the two Light-lovers alone. "Fang, I'm going to bed. Don't be up all night, okay?"

"I'll be fine, just need to clear my head." Fang answered. Serah was oddly motherly. It seemed like she had looked after Lightning as much as Lightning looked after her. Understandable, on their journey Lightning would often forget to eat or rest or bathe. She was just too focused on other things. Maybe Serah had grounded her, worried about the little things so her sister didn't have to.

\/\/\/

Fang opened her eyes, like she did every morning. Lightning was stood beside her bed, like she did every morning. Yawning a good morning, Fang swing her legs round to the side of the bed and rested her feet on the smooth wood of her floor. She stretched her arms in the air, until her back made a satisfying crack, then decided it was time to get off the bed.

Lightning. Beside the bed. Lightning was beside the bed. Beside the bed was Lightning. Lightning. Bed. Bed. Lightning.

"Holy sh-"

"Hi, Fang." Lightning said. her voice, normally cold and even was now low and husky. Fang shuddered.

Finally she got to have a look at the form fitting armour that Lightning was wearing. Polished steel knee high boots, like the leather ones she used to wear, followed the line of her calves, ending just before her thighs. It seemed to take forever to just reach the knees, never mind her hips, where her legs tapered off. Fang giggled slightly at the stomach of her armour. A belly button ring identical to the one Lightning wore had been engraved onto the abdomen of the armour. "Is this a dream?" Fang asked.

"No. I'm real, Fang. I'm here." Fang raised a hand to stroke Lightning face. Her cheeks were softer than Fang would have thought for someone who spent all their time scowling. Lightning smiled, the most beautiful thing Fang had ever seen, and leant into the touch. Her own hand grabbed Fang's wrist and pulled away the hand, even though she longed for the touch. "Fang, before we do anything, we need to talk."

Fang was disappointed, but this must have been important for Lightning to stop her. "What is it Light?"

"It's hard to put into words. I only have a limited time here, then I have to go again."

"How long do you have?" Fang asked tentively. She almost didn't want to hear the answer.

"A day." Upon seeing the crestfallen expression of Fang's face, Lightning felt she needed top explain. "But I get to do it every ten years. I get to come back Fang! Why-Why are you crying?"

At that point, history took two very different paths. In one Fang accepted this fate, and loved Lightning wholly and completely for the rest of her life, promising to always be there when she arrived. Every ten years, she would go to the Doorway and greet Lightning. It broke both of their hearts as Lightning remained youthful, seeming as if barely a day passed since she first came back, yet Fang and the rest of their family fell to the infirmities of the flesh. Seventy years since the day that the promise was made, Fang walked the familiar path to the Doorway, her old bones groaning and creaking. There she already found Lightning waiting. The youthful soldier smiled and offered a hand. It was taken gratefully as the soldier led her to the Doorway. With every step, Fang's life seemed to play backwards. Her hair darkened, her skin smoothed, her stance straightened and hey eyes sparkeled. The pair walked hand in hand through the Doorway, ready to accept any fate.

In the other reality, thing were not so perfect.

Fang pushed the woman she loved in the shoulder, sending her stumbling backwards. "I can't do it Light. I can't have that. If I can't have you forever, then just stay away."

"Fang."

"Stay away from me. I will not deal with the heartbreak."

"Will you at least come to say goodbye tonight? For the last time?" Lightning smiled uncertainly.

"For the last time."

\/\/\/

"Claire!" Serah cried upon seeing her sister in the doorway. "You're back! Claire, what's wrong?"

"Before you get too excited, I have to know something." Lightning asked somberly.

"What is it, Claire?"

"Would you see me, if I could only come back once every ten years?"

Serah felt conflicted, and it showed on her face. Her answer became very clear to her. "No, I couldn't. I couldn't deal with the constant heartbreak."

"Funny." Lightning remarked. "Fang said very much the same thing."

Serah's eyes narrowed. If it weren't for the difference in height, she could have been Lightning's twin. "You saw her before me."

"She loves me, Ser."

"I love you too! Just-Just get out of my sight."

"Will you come say goodbye?"

\/\/\/

Lightning led her family to the Doorway. A few people were still hanging around, in case anything else happened, but mostly it was empty. Lightning turned to her family and offered them a smile. Most returned it. The Doorway began to pulse, startling the onlookers. Etro floated lazily out . "Are you ready?"

Lightning looked up at the Goddess. With one hand she drew her sword. Everyone's eyes followed it's slow descent to the floor. Miraculously, when it landed, there was no clang of vibrating metal as it landed softly on a pile of feathers. "You chose me as your champion. You gave me no choice but to accept. The fal'Cie tried to force me to do their bidding, look what happened to them."

"Are you threatening me?" Etro asked, the ball of light pulsated threateningly. Lightning didn't flinch.

"I'm warning you. When your need is greatest, then the night is darkest, then you may call upon me, divine Etro. And on that day I shall come to be your chosen knight, your sword against the darkness. But until that day comes, when even the Gods fall from the heavens, I will be here with my family."

There was silence. Deathly silence. Etro gave in first. "Very well. I shall hold you to your promise, Lightning." The orb floated back through the Doorway without another word.

Finally Snow broke the tense silence. "Did Sis just tell a God to go screw herself?"

\/\/\/

Boom and we're done here. Epilogue on its way but that's it. Without You is all finished. Or is it? Maybe if I get enough reviews then I might be persuaded to write more. Don't worry this will all tie in with the Broken Strings Saga. I have big plans for the Otherside. Heh heh heh.


End file.
